Payroll mistakes cost real money: a federal tax deposit made 16 days late costs 10% of the amount, and using a provider does not move that liability off you. We scored 22 payroll services on the same five factors as our bookkeeping ranking, with every price read on the provider’s own site.
Most of them are software you run yourself, with the provider filing and paying the taxes. A few are people who run payroll for you. Each entry says which, and what its penalty guarantee actually covers.
How to check our working
Every customer rating links to the review page it came from, and every price links to the provider’s own pricing page. All of it was read on 5 October 2026. Every provider goes through the same formula. If something has moved, follow the link and tell us so we can update it.
The short version
- Highest score: Patriot Software, at $37 a month plus $5 per worker for full service, with strong ratings across about 4,000 reviews. Its pricing page says tax filing is “guaranteed”, but its published terms contain no such guarantee.
- Simplest all-in price: OnPay, at $49 a month plus $6 per worker, with every state and year-end forms included.
- The biggest gap between platforms: Gusto scores 4.6 on G2 and 1.9 on Trustpilot. If you leave mid-year, it charges $100 for federal forms plus $100 per state to file your remaining returns.
- QuickBooks Payroll is now QuickBooks Workforce, with higher per-employee prices since 1 July 2026. Its penalty protection comes only on the top Elite plan.
- ADP RUN and Paychex Flex publish no prices, which costs them most of the pricing score.
- The typical published price is a $35–$50 monthly base plus $5–$8 per employee.
What to know before you buy
- Using a payroll provider does not transfer legal liability: the IRS says 'the employer is ultimately responsible for the deposit and payment of federal tax liabilities', and it advises employers to enrol in EFTPS to check deposits and not to change their address of record to the provider's. Source: www.irs.gov
- Late federal deposits cost 2% (1-5 days), 5% (6-15 days), 10% (16+ days) or 15% (after notice) of the unpaid deposit, so what a provider's penalty guarantee covers matters. Source: www.irs.gov
- Penalty guarantees vary widely. QuickBooks covers up to $25,000/yr, only on its top Elite tier, and excludes customer-entered data and misclassification. Gusto and OnPay reimburse penalties only from their own errors. Patriot markets a 'reliability guarantee' that its published terms do not contain. Source: quickbooks.intuit.com
- Leaving a provider can cost money. After cancellation Gusto charges $100 for federal forms, $100 per state and $5 per W-2/1099 if it files your remaining returns, and Intuit charges $150 for year-end filings/W-2s and keeps payroll data for only one year. Source: support.gusto.com
- Headline 'months free' promotions often exclude extra fees. SurePayroll's 6 free months are credited in alternating months over a year, require 12 months of service and exclude year-end fees ($50 + $5/form) and multi-state fees. Source: www.surepayroll.com
- The typical published structure is a $35-$50 monthly base plus $5-$8 per employee (e.g. OnPay $49+$6, Homebase $49+$6, Square $35+$6, Justworks $50+$8). The big brands (ADP RUN, Paychex Flex, Paylocity, Toast) remain quote-only. Source: onpay.com
How we scored them
The same five factors and weights as our bookkeeping ranking: review evidence 30%, pricing transparency 25%, data portability 20%, stability 15%, scope and honesty 10%.
- Customer rating is each platform’s rating multiplied by its review count, summed, and divided by the total count. Review evidence then scales it by volume (full strength at 150 reviews), subtracts points when platforms with 5+ reviews disagree by more than a star, and adjusts for BBB grade.
- Pricing transparency: 5 for a full public rate card including one-off costs, down to 1 for quote only.
- Data portability for payroll: 5 if full payroll history, tax filings and year-to-date data can be exported in a standard format and switching mid-year is supported; 3 if export is partial or undocumented; 1 if history is locked in or costs money to get. Only Gusto, QuickBooks and Patriot document this clearly, so most providers score 3.
- Stability: years trading, ownership changes, layoffs and shutdowns, each with a source.
- Scope and honesty: whether the provider says plainly what is included, who does the work, what any guarantee covers and how the contract ends.
- Where a provider does not disclose something we need to score a factor, it gets 2 for that factor.
Where this ranking is weak
- Ratings for ADP, Paychex, Wave and Patriot cover the whole company or product, not payroll alone. Deel’s and Rippling’s ratings cover their whole HR and global-payroll platforms.
- Software review sites (G2) and consumer review sites (Trustpilot) disagree sharply about almost every large payroll brand. That disagreement costs points under our method, and we think it is the most useful signal on the page.
- Four of the five factors (70% of the weight) are our judgement against published definitions. The factor scores are all in the table, so you can disagree with a specific one.
- Ratings and prices are a snapshot from 5 October 2026. Prices in this market change often; the links take you to the current page.
The full score table
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| # | Provider | Total | Reviews 30% | Price 25% | Port. 20% | Stab. 15% | Scope 10% | Customer rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patriot Software (Full Service Payroll) software | 4.24 | 4.3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.7 (4,073) |
| 2 | OnPay software | 3.88 | 3.4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4.4 (730) |
| 3 | Fingercheck software | 3.78 | 4.2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4.7 (380) |
| 4 | Justworks (Payroll plan) software+service | 3.62 | 2.6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 (1,163) |
| 5 | Rippling software | 3.57 | 4.4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4.8 (15,971) |
| 6 | Hourly software+service | 3.56 | 4.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4.9 (46) |
| 7 | Gusto software | 3.55 | 1.7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.2 (15,729) |
| 8 | QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Online Payroll) software | 3.50 | 3.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4.4 (511) |
| 9 | Roll by ADP software | 3.41 | 3.0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4.6 (22) |
| 10 | Homebase Payroll software | 3.34 | 3.3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4.3 (935) |
| 11 | SurePayroll software | 3.33 | 1.9 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3.8 (2,384) |
| 12 | Bookkeeper360 (Payroll Administration) service firm | 3.27 | 2.7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.6 (270) |
| 13 | Deel US Payroll software | 3.08 | 4.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4.6 (16,603) |
| 14 | Auris (formerly Heartland Payroll) software+service | 3.08 | 3.8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4.5 (298) |
| 15 | Paylocity software+service | 2.85 | 3.5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4.4 (6,279) |
| 16 | Square Payroll software | 2.77 | 2.4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4.2 (31) |
| 17 | Wave Payroll software | 2.54 | 0.6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.2 (578) |
| 18 | Paycor software+service | 2.44 | 0.8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3.8 (2,183) |
| 19 | RUN Powered by ADP software+service | 1.95 | 0.2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3.6 (9,616) |
| 20 | Paychex Flex software+service | 1.90 | 0.0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3.3 (2,593) |
| 21 | Payroll Vault service firm | 1.75 | 0.0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | — |
| 22 | Toast Payroll software | 1.65 | 0.0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — |
The top 10, in detail
Patriot Software (Full Service Payroll)
Lowest-cost full-service payroll for very small US employers
- Price
- Full Service $37/mo + $5/worker (currently promoted at 50% off: $18.50 + $2.50); Basic self-file $17/mo + $4/worker; extra states $12/mo each; Time and HR add-ons $6/mo + $2/employee each; year-end filings included. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- Canton, OH (unverified)
- Customer rating
- 4.7/5 from 4,073 reviews: Trustpilot 4.7/5 (3,443) · G2 4.8/5 (630).
- Cheapest published full-service rate in this set ($37 + $5 regular price).
- Each additional state costs $12/mo on Full Service.
- The marketed 'reliability guarantee' has no terms behind it in the published software terms.
Portability. After cancellation the account becomes read-only with reports, 941s and W-2/W-3s downloadable, and employees keep lifetime access to stubs and W-2s. The terms only commit to retaining data for one year after termination.
Stability. Private, founder-controlled (Mike Kappel), bootstrapped and later funded by accredited private investors. Payroll product launch year unverified; the about page cites the founder's business starting in 1986.
Scope. Full Service files and deposits federal, state and local taxes. The pricing page claims 'Tax filing reliability guaranteed', but the software terms contain no such guarantee and say the customer is responsible for penalties from its own errors.
OnPay
Simple all-inclusive pricing with multi-state and year-end forms included
- Price
- $49/mo + $6/worker, with all states, W-2/1099 and year-end filings included; add-ons: HR $15 + $2/worker, Time Tracking $15 + $4/worker, Compliance Resources $10/mo, Live HR Support $65/mo; no implementation fees; first month free. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, GA (unverified)
- Customer rating
- 4.4/5 from 730 reviews: G2 4.8/5 (419) · Trustpilot 3.8/5 (311).
- One price with year-end forms and multi-state included, which is unusual among competitors.
- OnPay staff key in your prior payrolls when you switch mid-year.
- The penalty guarantee covers OnPay's negligent errors only (Terms of Service).
Portability. Strong for switching in: OnPay enters prior year-to-date payrolls for you mid-year. Post-cancellation data access and export format are not addressed in the terms (unverified). Cancellation requires 30 days' written notice.
Stability. Private; grew out of a family payroll business the founder joined in 2007; the 'serving clients for over 30 years' claim is unverified.
Scope. Federal, state and local filings and payments included; marketed as an 'error-free guarantee'. The terms say that for OnPay's negligent errors it remits the taxes and pays the resulting penalties, as the client's sole remedy.
Fingercheck
Hourly workforces wanting time clock + payroll at low cost
- Price
- 360 $39/mo + $5/employee (promo; regularly $79 + $10); 360 Plus $65 + $6 (regularly $129 + $12); Time & Attendance $29 + $7; 5-employee minimum; year-end W-2/1099 fees charged separately (amount not itemized). (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- Brooklyn, NY · founded 2013
- Customer rating
- 4.7/5 from 380 reviews: G2 4.7/5 (380).
- The headline prices are promotional; regular 360 pricing is $79 + $10/employee.
- Five-employee minimum on all plans.
- Year-end W-2/1099 forms cost extra.
Portability. Unverified; no public export policy found.
Stability. Founded 2013 in Brooklyn; private LLC; no ownership changes found.
Scope. Federal, state and local tax filing on all payroll plans; multi-state only on 360+ tiers. Year-end form fees exist but are not priced, and promotional pricing is shown as the headline price.
Justworks (Payroll plan)
Firms that may later move to a PEO for big-company benefits
- Price
- Payroll $50/mo base + $8/employee; PEO Basic $79/employee/mo; PEO Plus $124/employee/mo; US contractors $8/mo each; international contractors $39/mo; time tracking $8/employee; no implementation fee. (pricing page)
- Type
- software+service
- Headquarters
- New York, NY · founded 2012
- Customer rating
- 4.5/5 from 1,163 reviews: G2 4.6/5 (1,127) · Trustpilot 2.1/5 (36).
- The payroll-only plan ($50 + $8/employee) is separate from the PEO tiers ($79-$124/employee).
- US contractors are billed at $8/mo per paid contractor.
- Withdrew its IPO filing in July 2022.
Portability. Unverified; no public export or offboarding policy found.
Stability. Founded 2012; withdrew its planned IPO in July 2022 (CNBC); private.
Scope. Pricing and inclusions for the Payroll and PEO tiers are clearly published. The penalty guarantee and tax-filing scope for the payroll-only plan were not verified.
Rippling
Companies wanting payroll tied to HR, IT and device management
- Price
- Only 'starts at $8 a month, per user' is published; some products add a monthly base fee; payroll requires a custom quote. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA · founded 2017
- Customer rating
- 4.8/5 from 15,971 reviews: G2 4.8/5 (13,491) · Trustpilot 4.5/5 (2,480).
- Only a $8/user/month starting price is public; payroll is quoted.
- Payroll is one module of a wider HR/IT platform, and modules are priced separately.
- Rippling and Deel are in cross-litigation over alleged corporate espionage (2025-26).
Portability. Unverified: Rippling's terms are blocked to automated reading, and no public export policy was found.
Stability. Founded 2016-17, VC-backed ($16.8B valuation, May 2025). In active espionage litigation with Deel since March 2025 (per Wikipedia).
Scope. Files federal, state and local taxes. The '100% error-free guarantee' covers pay accuracy and timeliness; no tax-penalty terms are published. Payroll pricing is opaque.
Hourly
Contractors and trades wanting payroll linked to pay-as-you-go workers' comp
- Price
- Gold $80/mo + $12/employee; Platinum $120/mo + $16/employee; Platinum+ by quote; 90-day full-refund guarantee. (pricing page)
- Type
- software+service
- Headquarters
- Palo Alto, CA · founded 2019
- Customer rating
- 4.9/5 from 46 reviews: G2 4.9/5 (46).
- Combines payroll with pay-as-you-go workers' comp insurance.
- Faster direct deposit requires 8 qualifying payroll runs first.
- Offers a 90-day full refund if the product doesn't work for you.
Portability. Unverified; no public export policy found.
Stability. Founded 2019; $27M Series A (June 2022); VC-backed.
Scope. Automated tax payments and filing, W-2s and garnishments; workers' comp insurance is linked to payroll. Next-day and same-day deposit unlock only after 8 qualifying runs. G2 reviewers say prevailing-wage payroll is not supported.
Gusto
Self-serve full-service payroll for startups and small teams
- Price
- Simple $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80/mo + $12/person; Premium $180/mo + $22/person; add-ons include Next-Day Pay $15/mo + $3/person, Same-Day Pay $90/payroll, Priority Support $30/mo + $3/person; after cancellation Gusto charges $100 for federal forms, $100 per state and $5 per W-2/1099 if it still files your year-end/quarterly returns. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA · founded 2012
- Customer rating
- 4.2/5 from 15,729 reviews: G2 4.6/5 (13,202) · Trustpilot 1.9/5 (2,527).
- Three published tiers; multi-state payroll and next-day deposit are only included from the Plus plan up.
- The tax-error guarantee is in the payroll service terms and covers only penalties caused by Gusto's own failure to file or remit.
- Leaving mid-year costs $100 federal + $100 per state + $5 per form if Gusto files your remaining returns.
- Trustpilot score (1.9) is far below the G2 score (4.6); Trustpilot complaints focus on support and tax-notice resolution.
Portability. Admins keep access to view company forms, reports and past payrolls after cancelling; prior-year-to-date payrolls can be entered during setup, so mid-year switching is supported. Gusto charges offboarding filing fees ($100 federal, $100/state, $5/form) only if you ask it to file remaining returns; no fee if the new provider files. Export format not verified.
Stability. Founded 2012 as ZenPayroll (renamed Gusto 2015); independent and VC-backed; acquired 401(k) provider Guideline in Aug 2025 (per Wikipedia). No layoff event recorded on layoffs.fyi.
Scope. Files federal, state and local payroll tax forms (W-2, 1099, 940, 941). Payroll terms (s.11) say that for a 'Gusto Error' Gusto remits the taxes and reimburses penalties directly arising from that failure, provided you mitigate and pass on notices at least 30 days before the response date. Penalties from customer errors (e.g. wrong tax account numbers) are the customer's to pay. No long-term contract.
QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Online Payroll)
Businesses already on QuickBooks Online accounting
- Price
- Workforce Payroll $50/mo + $7/employee; Premium $88/mo + $13/employee; Elite $134/mo + $17/employee (50% off base for 3 months); accounting bundles from $88/mo + $6.50/employee; $150 fee if Intuit prepares year-end filings/W-2s after cancellation. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- Mountain View, CA · founded 1983
- Customer rating
- 4.4/5 from 511 reviews: G2 4.4/5 (511).
- Renamed QuickBooks Workforce (Core→Payroll, Premium, Elite); per-employee fees rose from July 1, 2026 while base prices stayed the same.
- Only the $134/mo Elite tier carries the $25,000/yr penalty protection.
- Payroll records stay available for only one year after you cancel.
Portability. Payroll data stays accessible for one year after cancellation; you must export reports within that year. Intuit charges $150 to prepare year-end filings/W-2s after cancelling.
Stability. Intuit (founded 1983, public) is a large parent, but it cut about 1,800 jobs in July 2024 (CNBC). Payroll was renamed QuickBooks Workforce with per-employee fees raised from 1 Jul 2026. Desktop Enhanced Payroll stopped taking new subscribers on 31 Jul 2024.
Scope. Full-service tax calculation, filing and payment on all plans. Tax penalty protection applies only to Workforce Elite: up to $25,000/yr in penalties and interest, for errors after enrolment. It excludes customer-entered data, overtime miscalculations and worker misclassification, and you must send notices within 15 days.
Roll by ADP
Very small businesses that want app/chat-based payroll from ADP
- Price
- $39/mo + $5 per worker (W-2 or 1099), first 3 months free for new US clients. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- Roseland, NJ (ADP)
- Customer rating
- 4.6/5 from 22 reviews: G2 4.6/5 (22).
- A single flat plan: $39/mo + $5 per worker after 3 free months.
- Run entirely through a mobile app and chat; cancelling during the trial forfeits the remaining free months.
Portability. Unverified: the terms do not cover access to records after cancellation. You cancel through in-app chat.
Stability. ADP product (large parent); launch year of Roll not verified.
Scope. Says it handles payroll tax filing and deposits and promises 'guaranteed-accurate calculations', but the terms page we read does not list which filings are included and has no penalty-guarantee terms.
Homebase Payroll
Hourly-shift businesses already using Homebase scheduling and time clock
- Price
- $49/mo + $6 per active employee, with W-2s, 1099s, tax filings and amendments included; the pricing page shows the first 6 months free; payroll is an add-on to any Homebase plan. (pricing page)
- Type
- software
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA · founded 2014
- Customer rating
- 4.3/5 from 935 reviews: G2 4.6/5 (605) · Trustpilot 3.8/5 (330).
- Tax amendments are included in the $49 + $6 price.
- Payroll is an add-on available on every Homebase plan, including the free one.
- Some Trustpilot reviews say payroll support is separate from the main support team and hard to reach.
Portability. Unverified; no public export policy found.
Stability. Company founded 2014, payroll launched 2020; ~$189M raised including a $60M Series D (Apr 2024).
Scope. Automated tax calculation, filing and payment in all 50 states + DC, with amendments included. Tax levels (federal/state/local) are not spelled out and no guarantee is stated.
Ranks 11 to 22
| # | Provider | Score | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | SurePayroll | 3.33 | Year-end forms are extra: $50 plus $5 per W-2/1099, billed annually. Price: Small business $29/mo + $7/worker; multi-state $9.99/mo; year-end W-2/1099 forms $50 base + $5 per form; household plan $39/mo including one employee; accounting integration $4.99/mo; '6 months free' promotion excludes year-end, multi-state and other fees. 3.8/5 from 2,384 reviews: Trustpilot 3.6/5 (1,851) · G2 4.4/5 (533). |
| 12 | Bookkeeper360 (Payroll Administration) | 3.27 | Human-delivered payroll on top of Gusto. Price: Payroll Administration 'starting at $200 per month', run on Gusto (Gusto subscription fees likely extra — unverified). 4.6/5 from 270 reviews: Google 4.7/5 (234) · Yelp 4.5/5 (21) · Trustpilot 2.7/5 (6) · G2 3.8/5 (5) · Capterra 3.3/5 (3) · BBB customer reviews 1/5 (1) · BBB grade A+. Ratings cover the whole firm, not only this service. |
| 13 | Deel US Payroll | 3.08 | Deel prices EOR, contractors and PEO publicly but not standalone US payroll. Price: US payroll price not published (demo/quote); published related prices: US PEO $125/employee/mo, contractors $49/mo, EOR $599/employee/mo. 4.6/5 from 16,603 reviews: Trustpilot 4.6/5 (9,563) · G2 4.7/5 (7,040). |
| 14 | Auris (formerly Heartland Payroll) | 3.08 | Heartland Payroll is now Auris, a division of Acrisure (an insurance brokerage). Price: Bundles 'starting at $89 per month' for one employee; per-employee and add-on pricing via a quote builder. 4.5/5 from 298 reviews: G2 4.5/5 (298). |
| 15 | Paylocity | 2.85 | Quote-only pricing. Price: Not published (quote only). 4.4/5 from 6,279 reviews: G2 4.4/5 (6,279). |
| 16 | Square Payroll | 2.77 | Contractor-only payroll has no base fee ($6 per person paid). Price: Full-service $35/mo + $6 per person paid; contractor-only $6 per person paid with no base fee; paper W-2/1099 mailing $3 each; paid amendment services (price not listed). 4.2/5 from 31 reviews: G2 4.2/5 (31). |
| 17 | Wave Payroll | 2.54 | Owned by H&R Block since 2019. Price: US: $40/mo base + $6 per active employee + $6 per contractor paid; 30-day free trial; no setup fees. 3.2/5 from 578 reviews: Trustpilot 3.2/5 (547) · G2 4.1/5 (31). |
| 18 | Paycor | 2.44 | Publishes base + per-employee prices for four tiers; the setup fee amount is not published. Price: Basic $99/mo + $5/employee; Essential $149/mo + $6; Complete $199/mo + $7; HCM $199/mo + $12; promotion of 50% off for 6 months plus 1 month free payroll and setup fee waived. 3.8/5 from 2,183 reviews: G2 4/5 (2,018) · Trustpilot 1.6/5 (165). |
| 19 | RUN Powered by ADP | 1.95 | ADP publishes no RUN prices; every package requires a quote. Price: Not published (quote only); four packages (Essential, Enhanced, Complete, HR Pro); promotion of 3 months free payroll ending 10/22. 3.6/5 from 9,616 reviews: G2 4.7/5 (6,497) · Trustpilot 1.2/5 (3,119). |
| 20 | Paychex Flex | 1.90 | No package prices are published; all four tiers are quote-only. Price: Not published; four Flex packages (Basic, Foundations, Advanced, Complete) all show 'Request Pricing'. 3.3/5 from 2,593 reviews: G2 4.1/5 (1,745) · Trustpilot 1.7/5 (848). |
| 21 | Payroll Vault | 1.75 | Franchise network: you work with a local owner-operated office. Price: Not published (quote from local franchise). No verified ratings found. |
| 22 | Toast Payroll | 1.65 | Built from the StratEx HR/payroll acquisition (July 2019). Price: Not published (demo/quote). No verified ratings found. |
Gone, sold or renamed
- QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll (new sales)Intuit stopped selling new subscriptions to QuickBooks Desktop Enhanced Payroll; existing subscribers can renew. (source)
- Heartland Payroll (brand)Global Payments sold its payroll business to Acrisure for $1.1B and the brand was retired in favour of Auris; the service continues as Auris (listed above). (source)
Scored on 5 October 2026. Found a price or rating that has moved? Tell us and we will check it and show the change.